At 07h52, Tuesday, 16 May, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated following reports from a local fisherman of a local Catamaran fishing craft found unmanned appearing to have washed onto rocks at Shark Point, West of Shark Point Light.
CAPE ST FRANCIS
The craft was identified as belonging to a local man who regularly fishes on his boat at Shark Point.
It was immediately suspected that the fisherman may be missing.
The fisherman who had come across the casualty craft had raised the alarm and initiated a search in the immediate area.
The NSRI St Francis Bay rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II was launched while NSRI shore crew responded to the land side of Shark Point.
The SA Police Services, the Police Dive Unit, EC Government Health EMS, Private Care ambulance services and drone operators (of the local Air Sea Rescue Network) responded.
A number of public members volunteered to assist and were deployed to join in the search.
A total of 7 local fishing craft joined the NSRI rescue craft in the sea search.
NSRI Oyster Bay were placed on alert.
NSRI St Francis Bay duty controllers, the SA Police Services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) and NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in coordinating a search operation.
A helicopter was dispatched from Gqeberha to join in the search.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with Marine communications and broadcast an all ships alert.
During an air, sea and shoreline search the man was located and recovered in the surf close to rocks near to Shark Point at 08h55.
Sadly he was declared deceased by paramedics.
The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
It has been confirmed that he was the only person on the boat.
It remains unknown what caused the incident.
Police have opened an Inquest docket.
Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.
Efforts will be made to recover the casualty craft from the rocks.
An update on the vessel stolen from NSRI Strandfontein
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